Mainland airfares take off

Some routes increase by $50, but Hawaii fare hikes are smaller

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Mainland-based airlines boosted their round-trip fares by $4 to $50 yesterday, but Hawaii was spared the brunt of those increases, with flights to the islands going up only about $10 in many cases and, in other instances, not at all.

Airlines have now raised ticket prices for four straight weeks, according to data from Rick Seaney, chief executive of ticket-pricing Web site FareCompare.com.

On Thursday, Hawaiian and Aloha announced fare increases for travel beginning May 1.

The moves have been prompted by record-high fuel prices. United Airlines initiated the latest increase and was matched by Continental Airlines, American Airlines, US Airways and Delta Air Lines. Northwest Airlines is expected to match this weekend, Seaney said.

Seaney, who compiled the data, said Hawaii received one of the smallest hits, and, in many instances, fares did not change at all. The prices were based on leisure travel, which is regarded as 14-day advance purchases.

Airlines have now raised ticket prices for four straight weeks, Seaney said.

United Airlines initiated the latest increase and was matched by Continental Airlines, American Airlines, US Airways and Delta Air Lines. Northwest Airlines is expected to match this weekend, Seaney said.

"We're in completely uncharted territory for domestic airfare increases," Seaney said. "It's like the jump in oil prices has totally changed the playing field."

United, for example, raised its leisure fare from Denver to Honolulu by $11, Seaney said.

On Thursday, Hawaiian and Aloha implemented their own fare increases on routes between the islands and the mainland that go into effect for travel beginning May 1.

Hawaiian's fares were raised $30 across the board to the California cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, San Jose and Sacramento, as well as Phoenix, Seattle, Las Vegas and Portland, Ore.

Aloha said it matched Hawaiian, but Seaney noted yesterday that in actuality, Aloha's published fare increases were $38 in some cases. In another instance, Seaney said Aloha raised its Maui-San Diego round-trip fare from $380 on Wednesday to $402 on Thursday to $434 on Friday -- a $54 increase in three days.

"Aloha has a smattering of different prices," Seaney said. "It's not an exact match by Aloha. It's a little bit higher, but they don't necessarily compete on the same routes."

In one city pairing in which they do compete -- Honolulu-Las Vegas -- Aloha's cheapest published fare was $120 more than Hawaiian at its cheapest published fare based on a typical Friday in May (May 16) after the May 1 increases go into effect, Seaney said.

In that example, Hawaiian offered a $526 round trip from Honolulu to Las Vegas, while Aloha was at $645. The cheapest, though, he said, was ATA at $394 because "ATA is basically undercutting the market." In ascending order, next is US Air at $398, followed by Delta and American, both at $496.

Besides the $38 fare increase from Honolulu to Las Vegas, Aloha also boosted its fares $38 to Orange County and $32 to Sacramento while keeping Oakland, Calif., and Reno, Nev., unchanged, according to Seaney.

Airlines, though, offer sale prices below their published fares. On that same May 16 date, for example, Hawaiian and Aloha offer Honolulu-Las Vegas round-trip fares of $472 and $548, respectively.